On January 20, a working meeting between Vitaly Ignatiev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, and Alexander Vataman, Plenipotentiary Representative Office of the Republic of Abkhazia to the PMR, was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR.

Opening the meeting, Vitaly Ignatiev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR, praised the current level of bilateral cooperation and expressed confidence that it would continue in the same substantive and constructive spirit. The PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs particularly emphasised the developing communication between the foreign ministries of the two republics. In this context, Vitaly Ignatiev commended the intensification of contacts through the Councils of Young Diplomats last year.

In his response, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Abkhazia to the PMR, Alexander Vataman, said: "Our first meeting in the new year traditionally takes place on the day of the signing of the first interstate treaty, signed by Vladislav Ardzinba and Igor Smirnov. For 33 years now, our republics have been walking together along the path of building independent states. There have been both difficult stages and periods of full-fledged interstate cooperation on this way. I am confident that all the opportunities that exist in 2026 for cooperation between our republics will be used as productively as possible, and the extent of their exploitation will largely be determined by the joint efforts of Pridnestrovian and Abkhazian diplomacy."

During the meeting, the parties discussed possibilities to expand Abkhazian-Pridnestrovian cooperation in a number of areas, with an emphasis on the implementation of practical measures and initiatives.

Alexander Vataman noted that the Official Representation's priority remains facilitating and participating in interagency cooperation between the republics. The year 2025 demonstrated that such cooperation could take the form of online meetings, visits to Abkhazia by representatives of Pridnestrovie, and meetings in Moscow or other Russian cities, where the Russian side hosts events with the invitation of delegations from Abkhazia and Pridnestrovie.

In addition, in 2026, the Pridnestrovian side's proposals to hold thematic meetings for schoolchildren in Bendery and Ochamchira and online meetings between the heads of republican newspapers from Pridnestrovie and Abkhazia will be further developed, with the aim of further close cooperation between the newspapers "Pridnestrovie" and "Republic of Abkhazia."

Considering that 2026 has been declared the Year of the Village in Abkhazia, online meetings between the heads of Pridnestrovian and Abkhazian villages and interesting individuals from these villages could become a separate area of ​​cooperation between Abkhazia and Pridnestrovie this year. During the meeting, the diplomats summarized the results for 2025 and outlined plans for future joint work between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR and the Official Representative Office of the Republic of Abkhazia in the PMR.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to maintain working cooperation across the full range of pressing issues.